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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Alex Kirilloff hit the first two home runs of his major league career, including a three-run drive that broke open the game in the third inning and led the Minnesota Twins over the AL Central-leading Kansas City Royals 9-1 on Friday night.
Kirilloff, who debuted last Sept. 30, hit his first home run in his 28th plate appearance, an opposite-field drive to left off reliever Tyler Zuber that put the Twins ahead 4-0 and set off fireworks at Target Field.
READ MORE: Twins Reinstate Max Kepler, Kyle Garlick From COVID List
The 23-year-old hit a solo homer to center off Ervin Santana in the fifth inning. Kirilloff entered hitting .115 (3 for 26) in eight games since he was recalled on April 23.
Kirilloff became the first Twins player to hit his first two home runs in the same game since Pat Meares on June 19, 1994.
Michael Pineda (2-1) allowed one run and three hits in five innings.
Brady Singer (1-3) left after he was hit on the left foot by a Josh Donaldson line drive that ended the second inning. The ball ricocheted to Carlos Santana, and the first baseman stepped on the base to double up Ben Rortvedt, who had just walked in the first plate appearance of his major league debut.
Singer remained on the ground for a minute before walking off under his own power.
Rortvedt, a 23-year-old catcher, was 1 for 3 with a bloop RBI double in the eighth against Wade Davis, then scored on a wild pitch.
READ MORE: Buxton Goes 5 For 5 In Twins’ 10-2 Rout Of Indians
Carlos Santana hit a solo homer in the fourth inning, his sixth of the season.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Royals: Singer was diagnosed with a bruised heel contusion and listed as day to day.
Twins: Outfielders Max Kepler and Kyle Garlick were both activated from the COVID-19 injured list after missing nine games. Kepler started in right field and was 0 for 3 with a walk.
UP NEXT
Royals: LHP Danny Duffy (3-1, 0.39 ERA) faces Minnesota for the first time this season on Saturday. Duffy has allowed just one earned run in 23 innings through four starts.
Twins: RHP Matt Shoemaker (1-2, 5.49 ERA) will make his fifth start of the season. He has lost two straight starts and is winless in three.
MORE NEWS: Reyes Homers Twice As Cleveland Hands Slumping Twins 7-4 Loss
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